Ergonomic lifting and lowering mechanism for apparatuses for assisting a handicapped person

Abstract

An ergonomic, power-assisted lifting-lowering unit for lifting or lowering a user, such as a disabled person. The lifting-lowering unit includes a body-holder, adapted to firmly hold/support at least at one body member/section of the torso of the user; a lifting-lowering-mechanism; a motion and force transmitting mechanism; and a power activator. The lifting-lowering-mechanism includes a power actuator that is operatively engaged with the body-holder, at preconfigured locations. The power activator activates the power actuator to thereby set in motion the motion transmitting mechanism that causes the body-holder to move in a path closely approximating to the movement of the femur bones, or a in path parallel thereto, when the user is moving between a standing position and a sitting position, the knees being the proximal center of the pivotal motion of the femur bones of the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ergonomic lifting-lowering unit for lifting and/or lowering a user, such as a disabled person, the power-assisted lifting-lowering unit comprising:
 a) a body-holder adapted to firmly hold or support the torso of the user at least at one body member and/or body section of the torso;   b) a lifting-lowering-mechanism comprising:
 i) at least one power actuator, wherein said power actuator is operatively engaged with said body-holder, at preconfigured locations; and 
 ii) a power providing member for operating said power actuator; 
   c) a motion and force transmitting mechanism; and   d) a power activator,   
       wherein said power activator is in operational communication with said power actuator to thereby set in motion said motion transmitting mechanism that causes said body-holder to move in a path closely approximating to the movement of the femur bones, or a in path parallel thereto, when the user is moving between a standing position and a sitting position, the knees being the proximal center of the pivotal motion of the femur bones of the user. 
     
     
         2 . An ergonomic lifting-lowering unit, as in  claim 1 , further comprises:
 e) a height adjustment mechanism, adapted to adjust said path of motion that closely approximates the movement of the femur bones, to thereby adapt to the actual bodily dimensions of the user, including the height of the popliteal of the user.   
     
     
         3 . An ergonomic lifting-lowering unit as in  claim 1 , wherein substantially all the lifting force that is required to lift a user from a sitting position to a standing position is provided by said lifting-mechanism and no physical effort is required from the user. 
     
     
         4 . An ergonomic lifting-lowering unit as in  claim 1 , wherein said body-holder comprises seat-support-assembly, adapted to support the buttocks of the user, when the user is moving between a standing position and a sitting position. 
     
     
         5 . An ergonomic lifting-lowering unit as in  claim 1 , wherein said body-holder comprises a user-support-assembly having a pair of armpit-rest-units, adapted to support the armpits of the user, when the user is moving between a standing position and a sitting position. 
     
     
         6 . An ergonomic lifting-lowering unit as in  claim 5 , wherein said user-support-assembly further comprises a harness firmly accommodating selected sections of the torso of the user. 
     
     
         7 . An ergonomic lifting-lowering unit as in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one power actuator is an elongated device having two ends, and wherein a first end is pivotally attached to a stationary frame, at a preconfigured location, and wherein the second end is pivotally attached to a member of said motion transmitting mechanism, at a preconfigured location. 
     
     
         8 . An ergonomic lifting-lowering unit as in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one power actuator is a compound jackscrew, and wherein said power providing member is a motor that is rotatably connected to said compound jackscrew. 
     
     
         9 . An ergonomic lifting-lowering unit as in  claim 1 , wherein said power providing member is selected from a group of power lifting-lowering-mechanisms including a pneumatic mechanism and a hydraulic mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . An ergonomic lifting-lowering unit as in  claim 1 , wherein said power actuator is selected from a group of power actuator including a pneumatic cylinder and a hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
         11 . An ergonomic lifting-lowering unit as in  claim 1 , wherein said motion transmitting mechanism comprises at least one pair of radial-motion-creating-arms, wherein each said pair of radial-motion-creating-arms comprises:
 a) a lower-radial-motion-creating-arm;   b) an upper-radial-motion-creating-arm; and   c) a motion-conveying-member,   
       wherein a rear end of said lower-radial-motion-creating-arms is pivotally attached to lower section of said motion-conveying-member, at a preconfigured location; and wherein a front end of said lower-radial-motion-creating-arm is pivotally attached to the top section of a stationary frame, at a preconfigured location; 
       wherein a rear end of said upper-radial-motion-creating-arm is pivotally attached to a higher section of said motion-conveying-member, at a preconfigured location; and wherein a front end of said upper-radial-motion-creating-arm is pivotally attached to said stationary frame, at a preconfigured location disposed generally above said front end of said lower-radial-motion-creating-arm; 
       wherein said power activator is pivotally attached to said upper-radial-motion-creating-arm, at a preconfigured location; and 
       wherein when said power activator is activated, said motion-conveying-member moves in a path closely approximating to the movement of the femur bones, or in a path parallel thereto. 
     
     
         12 . An ergonomic power-assisted lifting-lowering apparatus comprising a lifting-lowering-assembly comprising a pair of side-moving-assemblies ( 321 ), each having said power-assisted lifting-lowering unit as in  claim 7 ,
 wherein said body-holder comprises a pair of user-support-assemblies wherein body-holder is adapted to firmly support the armpits of the user;   wherein said stationary frame is a stationary frame-assembly ( 360 ) that comprises:
 a) a pair of vertically oriented side-frame-structures, each having an inner face and an external face, a front side and a rear side; and 
 b) a vertically oriented front-frame-structure, 
 wherein said frontal inner sides of said side-frame-structures are securely interconnected by said front-frame-structure, leaving an opened space at the rear of said stationary frame-assembly, to thereby facilitate accommodating the user between said side-frame-structures; and 
   wherein said lifting-lowering-assembly further comprises a front-moving-structure,   wherein said side-moving-assemblies are securely interconnected by said front-moving-structure, leaving an opened space at the rear of said lifting-lowering-assembly, to thereby facilitate accommodating the user between said side-moving-assemblies;   wherein each said power-assisted lifting-lowering units further comprises:
 a) a motion-relay-unit; and 
 b) an orientation-maintaining-arm ( 394 ), 
 wherein each said user-support-assemblies includes an adjustable armpit-rest-unit; 
 wherein each said user-support-assemblies is attached to respective said motion-relay-unit; and 
 wherein a first end of said orientation-maintaining-arm is securely attached to said upper-radial-motion-creating-arm at a preconfigured location and the second end of said orientation-maintaining-arm is pivotally attached to said motion-relay-unit, at a preconfigured location, to thereby maintain said motion-relay-unit in a substantially constant spatial orientation, including when the user is moving between a standing position and a sitting position, such that respective said armpit-rest-unit is maintained in a substantially upright orientation. 
   
     
     
         13 . An ergonomic power-assisted lifting-lowering apparatus as in  claim 12 , wherein each said armpit-rest-unit further comprises:
 a) a hollow sleeve-unit, adapted to fittingly accommodate a sliding-arm; and   b) a locking device,   wherein said locking device is preconfigured to allow free upward movement of said sliding-arm inside said sleeve-unit, wherein when said locking device is in a locked state, said locking device is preconfigured to prevent downward movement of said sliding-arm inside said sleeve-unit.   
     
     
         14 . An ergonomic power-assisted lifting-lowering apparatus as in  claim 13 , wherein said user-support-assembly further comprises:
 a) a horizontal-arm, extending sideways from the top end of said sliding-arm, wherein said horizontal-arm is securely attached thereto; and   b) a hollow top-arm, extending upwardly from the other end of said horizontal-arm, wherein said top-arm is securely attached thereto,   wherein said armpit-rest-unit is rotatably accommodated inside said top-arm and thereby, facilitating said armpit-rest-unit to comfortably adapt to the armpit of user.   
     
     
         15 . An ergonomic power-assisted lifting-lowering apparatus as in  claim 13 , wherein said body-holder further comprises a harness firmly accommodating selected sections of the torso of the user. 
     
     
         16 . An ergonomic power-assisted toilet seat, comprising a lifting-lowering-assembly comprising a pair of side-moving-assemblies ( 121 ), each having said power-assisted lifting-lowering unit as in  claim 11 ,
 wherein said body-holder is a seat-support-assembly adapted to firmly support the buttocks and thighs of the user;   wherein said stationary frame is a stationary frame-assembly ( 160 ), facilitated to securely attach to the top of a toilet seat bowl through the common bores conventionally used to attach a conventional toilet seat, said frame-assembly comprising:
 a) interconnected stationary frame members adapted to embrace the toilet seat bowl; 
 b) a U-shaped bowl-top sub-frame disposed substantially parallel to the top rim of the toilet seat bowl, wherein the two arms of said U-shaped bowl-top sub-frame are pointing towards the front of the toilet seat bowl; and 
 c) a leg holder disposed at the front of the toilet seat bowl proximal and substantially parallel to the floor, 
   wherein said lifting-lowering-assembly further comprises:
 a) a U-shaped seat-support-panel, wherein the two arms of said U-shaped seat-support-panel are pointing towards the front of the toilet seat bowl; and 
 b) side-walls, being said motion-conveying-member; 
   wherein said U-shaped seat-support-panel is adapted to securely carry a conventional toilet seat; and   wherein when said power activator is activated, said motion-conveying-member moves in a path closely approximating to the movement of the femur bones, or in a path parallel thereto.   
     
     
         17 . An ergonomic power-assisted toilet seat as in  claim 16 , wherein each said power-assisted lifting-lowering units further comprise:
 a) a back-support-plate;   b) motion-relay-support-arms; and   c) an orientation-maintaining-arm ( 194 ),   
       wherein said back-support-plate securely interconnects said motion-relay-support-arms; and 
       wherein a first end of said orientation-maintaining-arm is securely attached to said upper-radial-motion-creating-arm at a preconfigured location, and the second end of said orientation-maintaining-arm is pivotally attached to respective said motion-relay-support-arms, at a preconfigured location, to thereby maintain said back-support-plate in a substantially constant spatial orientation, including when the user is moving between a standing position and a sitting position, such that said back-support-plate is maintained in a substantially upright orientation. 
     
     
         18 . An ergonomic power-assisted toilet seat as in  claim 16  further comprises at least one arm-rest-assembly. 
     
     
         19 . An ergonomic power-assisted toilet seat as in  claim 18 , wherein said power activator is disposed at preconfigured location on each of said arm-rest-assemblies. 
     
     
         20 . An ergonomic power-assisted toilet seat as in  claim 19 , wherein when said U-shaped seat-support-panel moves between said standing position and said sitting position, said preconfigured location of said power activator remains conveniently accessible to the user. 
     
     
         21 . A power-assisted toilet seat as in  claim 16 , wherein said at least one power actuator is a compound jackscrew, wherein said power providing member is a motor that is rotatably connected to said compound jackscrew wherein rotating said motor in a first direction, lifts said U-shaped seat-support-panel from said sitting position to said standing position, and wherein rotating said motor in a second direction, lowers said U-shaped seat-support-panel from said standing position to said sitting position. 
     
     
         22 . An ergonomic power-assisted toilet seat as in  claim 16  further comprises a height adjustment mechanism, adapted to adjust said path of motion that closely approximates the movement of the femur bones, to thereby adapt to the actual bodily dimensions of the user, including the height of the popliteal of the user. 
     
     
         23 . An ergonomic power-assisted toilet seat as in  claim 16  further comprises a feet-lifting-device for moving the legs and knees of a sitting person upwardly, the device comprising:
 a) a lifting-tray; 
 b) a tray-lifting mechanism; and 
 c) a second power activator, 
 
       wherein said tray-lifting mechanism is in operational communication with said lifting-tray; and 
       wherein said second power activator is in operational communication with said tray-lifting mechanism. 
     
     
         24 . An ergonomic power-assisted toilet seat as in  claim 23 , wherein said tray-lifting mechanism comprises:
 a) a motion conveying bar;   b) a second power actuator; and   c) a motor,   
       wherein activating said second power activator activates said motor to rotatably activate said second-power actuator to thereby move said lifting-tray in a generally vertical direction. 
     
     
         25 . An ergonomic power-assisted toilet seat as in  claim 24 , wherein rotating said motor in a first direction, lifts said U-shaped seat-support-panel from said sitting position to said standing position, and wherein rotating said motor in a second direction, lowers said U-shaped seat-support-panel from said standing position to said sitting position.